[Brian Burrows]

is that the white one you took up to Doune with VW action logos & 53 on it ?

Yes mate.

 

[JPWills]

Hi we have Mk1 oval, Mk2 cab and a Mk3 TDI . My daughter looked for over a year for the spec of the Mk3 . White with a black roof ,rear spoiler, alloys and with the extra gauges and black dash. To be fair it’s a lovely modern car with plenty of room unlike the Mk2 cab. I love the Mk2 mind and in my opinion one of the best looking cabriolets out there. Most are ugly with the roof down or with the roof up.

 

[gojira]

I've never been a fan of the new beetle. Mainly because it made searching for parts for an aircooled beetle 10000% harder, but also because they look like a child's toy. That said, modern cars are so uninspiring that they were top of my list when I last looked for a daily driver. As LT says, the engines available are deeply uninspiring (I'd only want a 1.9tdi, 1.8T or an RSI) and that left pretty much nothing for sale when I looked.

I reckon the new new beetle looks a lot more like an aircooled beetle in profile. The new beetle was just 2 arcs of a circle which was a ridiculous design concept really if they wanted to sell lots of them.

Maybe they'll make a barebones cross between the Up and ID - small, rear engine, minimal electronic toys. I still wouldn't be able to afford it, but it'd be a proper modern beetle.

 

[veedweeb]

I had a 2003 Tdi one for a while. I really liked it and I even raced it with some success too.

I got rid of it in the end because it was just a bit too small and didn't have any towing capacity but I put almost 100k miles on it (it had 160,000 when I sold it) and it was always very reliable.

But it had a fair bit of rust and I had to do a bit of welding to get it through its MOT. Maybe that's why you don't see them so much anymore - because they do rust.

 

[flat4fanatic]

I've got a tdi cab as a daily. I quite like it. It was cheap and local and much prefer it to the touran it replaced (even if that was 4 years newer). Does the job and is reliable, cheaper tax and better mpg than touran too. The kids love it in the summer with the roof down. Where they're at now is probably comparative age and cost to what aircooled were back in the day. They're still just a cheap modernish car so repairs often outweigh value especially sills and the ease of new cars on finance of £25 a week deals fewer people are interested in repairing them. I see a few 1st gen about but definitely a lot less than 2-3 years ago.

 

[BugBusBuggy]

There used to be a red LHD one round here (St Helens), on an 'R' plate, so a very early one in the UK. Not seen it for a while (or if I have, I've not registered that I have), seemed to be getting progressively more 'pink' as the paint faded. There are 2 blue ones parked up on a driveway 2 mins walk from mine. Not moved since lockdown as far as I can see. Don't look in bad condition, but the rear one is on flat tyres and is blocking the other one in. Shame, but I have no inclination to 'rescue' them.... Now the mk1 Golf GTi that's 2 mins from here, I might try again to save, but the owner is 'going to get round to restoring it' every time I knock...

 

[gojira]

I found one yesterday. A neighbour of mine showed me his garage, where he has a v8 jeep cherokee that he has unpicked the body from so it is just a running (and driving) floorpan. Next to it is a new beetle that he is going to gut and then the top of it is going onto the jeep.

 

[JPWills]

I had a 2003 Tdi one for a while. I really liked it and I even raced it with some success too.

I got rid of it in the end because it was just a bit too small and didn't have any towing capacity but I put almost 100k miles on it (it had 160,000 when I sold it) and it was always very reliable.

But it had a fair bit of rust and I had to do a bit of welding to get it through its MOT. Maybe that's why you don't see them so much anymore - because they do rust.

I’m not surprised the TDI goes like stink, it is the sport with the boost gauges. My son had a Boxster and the Beetle was a lot more fun to drive.

 

[GBJB]

I really like ours. Only 25k miles from new. The engine is not good but it’s adequate and has been ultra reliable and lots of fun when the sun is out.

 

[Shamrockez]

I have 4 of them so I see at least 3 of them every day (the 4th is at my mum’s place).

They are a bit of a marmite car. None of mine are rusty though and tbh the ones that do have some rust in the sills are 15 plus years old so it’s not particularly surprising tbh.

 

[Grahamini]

I really like ours. Only 25k miles from new. The engine is not good but it’s adequate and has been ultra reliable and lots of fun when the sun is out.

View attachment 298345

Still looking good I see !

 

[Hoosier]

Like HRB 😎

 

[Dave Dorson]

there's one on my driveway that I need to put a pair of sills on and re-MOT. I can't seem to find the love for it, but the wife won't let me get rid either.

 

[Dave Dorson]

worth adding, the sills are sat behind me in the office.. I really should just get it done.

 

[BugBusBuggy]

There are 2 blue ones parked up on a driveway 2 mins walk from mine. Not moved since lockdown as far as I can see. Don't look in bad condition, but the rear one is on flat tyres and is blocking the other one in. Shame, but I have no inclination to 'rescue' them....

Well, out for a walk last night with the present Mrs BBB, and the two blue 'new' beetles have gone.... current location unknown. They have been replaced by a cream mk1 golf with a white roof and some very wide (4"?) white arches. Looks good IMHO. Also there is a more modern VW - Golf/Polo, didn't really pay it much attention... my gaze drawn by the cool looking mk1....

 

[Shamrockez]

Still looking good I see !

Hi Graham!👋

Like HRB 😎

Thanks 😊 owned him from new - that will be 14yrs on Monday. 191k later and still going strong.

 

[Jim]

They look 'harder'...if you know what I mean.

Totally agree, more like a sports car. I’d a run in a nicely specced diesel sport a while back, very nippy and I’d happily daily one. Have always thought about a mk1 18t or v5 sport though.

 

[Hoosier]

Totally agree, more like a sports car. I’d a run in a nicely specced diesel sport a while back, very nippy and I’d happily daily one. Have always thought about a mk1 18t or v5 sport though.

Get anything with the 18t BAM engine and tune it to 300hp for smiles per hour.
Takes the sting out of the extortionate road tax.

 

[Jim]

Get anything with the 18t BAM engine and tune it to 300hp for smiles per hour.
Takes the sting out of the extortionate road tax.

Totally agree, my daily is a 180bhp 18t😎 which is why I’d like a bug with one and a remap. Total sleeper!
Notice that sill rot seems common in the earlier newbies now, mate has a facelift/ mk2 one and had to have his sorted for mot.

 

[Shamrockez]

My grey/red cabriolet is a 1.8T. It certainly surprises people, especially now it’s remapped!